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Basic (doll assortment)
The 'Basic' doll line is the first subline of a franchise-spanning main line of dolls that features the characters in non-themed, day-to-day outfits. The 'Basic' line was released mid-to-late 2010 and the characters featured are Frankie Stein, Draculaura, Clawdeen Wolf, Lagoona Blue, Cleo de Nile, Deuce Gorgon, all of whom were released in Early July, 2010, and Ghoulia Yelps and Holt Hyde, who were released in Mid October, 2010. The two playests, the Freaky Fab Showace and the Vanity, were respectively released in Mid September, 2011 and in Early December, 2011. Name The main line and its sublines are without names, as they are the default, 'neutral' dolls. The first subline received the name 'Basic' from fans as a way to distinguish its dolls from subsequent themed releases. Within the fandom, there are two interpretations to the term 'Basic' and with that the way the main line is divided. 'Basic' was conceived as a name to describe the set of dolls that represent the characters in their everyday look - the way they dress if there is no occasion going on. The name was effective and intuitive, but became challenged when, mid 2011, the main line was extended with the releases of more basic dolls, which was a mix of old and new faces. Had there only been new faces, the second subline of the main line would have been called 'Basic' too. Due to the presence of old faces, this wouldn't do because it would've left fans with one term to describe two different dolls. Based on a caption that came with the early stockphotos, the name 'School's Out' was adopted to refer to the new dolls of characters previously released in the main line. Applying distinction only when necessary, fans generally consider the first releases of characters as main dolls to be 'Basic', regardless of the subline release, while new non-themed dolls of previously released characters are identified with the name invented for the relevant subline. In contrast, the Monster High wiki goes with the less common approach of declaring all the first main subline dolls 'Basic', and all the later whatever their subline is called, because there is unity in each subline in terms of marketing, release period and diary content. Selecting within a subline denounces that unity and makes it more difficult to describe its position within the franchise. It would also prioritize the term 'Basic' over other subline names, while all are equally unofficial. Assortment relations Since Holt Hyde and Ghoulia Yelps were the last 'Basic' dolls released, they got the short stick as far as promotion and shelf time go compared to the earlier released six. As such, their boxes originally advertised the 'Basic' dolls, but when 'School's Out' came around, the boxes were modified to the 'School's Out' design, including advertisement for the 'School's Out' dolls. Since the dolls and diaries remained the same, the wiki considers them 'Basic' only. Logs Each 'Basic' doll comes with a diary, the character's profile, and an in-package quote. Fiction The 'Basic' line received two commercials: one for the first six dolls and a modified one to promote the releases of Ghoulia and Holt. In the webisodes, the 'Basic' outfits are what the characters introduced in the line usually wear. Even now that 'School's Out' has been released and animation models have been made to represent the new outfits, the characters still are drawn in their original outfits. Gallery Basic - Draculaura stockphoto.jpg Basic - Clawdeen stockphoto.jpg Basic - Frankie stockphoto.jpg Basic - Lagoona stockphoto.jpg Basic - Cleo and Deuce stockphoto.jpg Basic - Ghoulia stockphoto.jpg Basic - Holt stockphoto.jpg Basic - first lineup stockphoto.jpg Basic - Freaky Fab Showcase stockphoto.jpg Basic - Freaky Fab Showcase box stockphoto.jpg Basic - Vanity stockphoto.jpg Notes * Due to a miscommunication on someone's part on Toysrus.com, a small amount of 'Basic' dolls were sold a month in advance of the supposed release date.Monster High Dolls at Confessions of a Doll Collector's Daughter * As the original main subline, the 'Basic' line is what was the public's first meeting with Monster High. While the franchise did and the dolls sold exceptionally well, there were complaints about the characters 'Basic' outfits for being too skimpy. In particular, Clawdeen Wolf's 'Basic' look raised comparisons with the clothes a streetwalker would wear, harsh criticism standing in stark contrast with Clawdeen's popularity. Despite that Mattel has worked to improve their young franchise, Monster High is still frequently decried and to prove their point, critics still always haul up a photo of Clawdeen's 'Basic' doll. References Category:Main Category:Basic